Daggers and Claws
by Ulura
Summary: Sequel to Fangs and Swords. Peace has finally formed between Camelot and the vampires and soon Merlin will be coming of age. But the peace was not to last, a new enemy is descending on Camelot as well as Merlin's own people. Shadows descend, the battle turns bloody and not everybody will make it out alive. No slash. On Hiatus.
1. Chapter 1

Arthur and his knights were just finishing up their training, laughing at Gwaine's latest tales from the tavern when suddenly a loud cry, a mix between scrapping metal and a large bird, filled the courtyard. It was a sound all in the castle had become accustom to over the past few months as it belonged to a large, white dragoness.

Aithusa was still growing at an alarming rate, every time she visited Camelot she had grown. Now she was at least double the size she had been when Arthur first met her over a year ago, no longer could she wander inside the castle but she was always welcome in the courtyard all the same.

"Quick Arthur hide!" Leon called but it was too late and the large beast had playfully knocked the man off his feet and licked his face happily.

"Arthur!" the child-like voice greeted him.

"Yes, hello Aithusa." He sighed rolling his eyes, "Can I get up now?"

The dragon cooed, nuzzling at the newly crowned king and lowering her neck to allow him to access the scroll currently tucked behind one of her scales.

"I still can't believe that dragon is acting as a glorified post man." Percival breathed and Arthur took the communication, "It seems a bit unorthodox."

"She doesn't mind do you girl?" Arthur smiled, Aithusa trilled happily, "Besides, vampire messengers can't travel in the day and she can."

Indeed Aithusa had been a happy carrier of messages for several months now. With Arthur acting as Regent he had given the vampire clan full permission to construct another castle in the Valley of the Fallen Kings to match their first on the Isle of the Blessed. This, like the first castle was to be mostly underground, Arthur had picked the area himself along with Merlin the vampire's prince and soon to be Lord. He had then spent a few knights watching with amazement as Merlin lifted stones and bent them into strong bricks with nothing but the will of his mind.

Other vampires gifted with magic were helping too of course, meaning the upper levels of the castle were built within several weeks. The lower tunnels were taking them some time but according to Merlin's letter were almost done themselves and the garden's were growing wonderfully in the middle of the castle walls.

Vampire castles we're designed differently to human ones. Instead of the usual plan, they were square or rectangular with no buildings at all in the middle, leaving a large open area for growing food for their human thralls. Of course, Merlin being Merlin, he managed to sneak a few moon flower bushes into it as well.

His father had not approved of course, then again, his father had not been in his right mind in the months leading up to his death. Arthur still blamed himself for his fathers mental break but deep down he knew there was nothing that could be done. He claimed all his food and water had been poisoned, that every guard, servant and even Arthur was an impostor, an assassin. Eventually he had refused to see anybody and wasted away into nothingness. At least in death he could rest.

"Come on then princess!" Gwaine yelled, breaking him from his reverie, "What's Merlin got to report?"

"I'll tell you later." Arthur sighed, "I'm the king I get to see these first."

Gwaine groaned, "But he always asks after us as well!"

"Later Gwaine."

-oOo-

Arthur was glad for the letter, though his kitchen wasn't, Aithusa always raided it somehow when she came to stay. The king had found an invaluable friend in the young vampire, though it still baffled him that Merlin was older than him but mentally and physically younger. Still, he was coming of age soon, idly he wondered if he'd been invite to the celebrations, did vampire's even celebrate coming of age?

It had been several months since he'd even seen the vampire, they had instead been communicating through Aithusa every few weeks. It had been a while since Merlin's last letter so eagerly Arthur unrolled the parchment to read.

_Dear Arthur,_

_Construction is finally complete! It's taken months even with magic, I don't know how you got anything finished before you changed your fathers laws. Seriously, building your castle without magic would of taken years! Half the population from the Isle are currently moving in but there is plenty of room for growth and most of the furniture has arrived and the market's started up. It's beginning to feel a lot like home. I've been instated as the Lord of the castle, making me one of the Three Vampire Lords of Albion now and I'm not even of age! _

_Running the castle isn't as hard as I thought it would be, then again I've been raised for it and I've only just begun. I can't believe you rule an entire city as well as all those villages, it must be exhausting being a king. _

_Speaking of my coming of age, I thought I would invite you and your knights, the Round table ones anyway. It's being held at the new castle next full don't feel obligated to show up, vampire celebration's are probably unnerving to you, all those goblets full of blood and all. I'm not sure how humans celebrate coming of age but for vampire's it's quite, dramatic, especially for royalty. _

_If you choose not to come you should still come and visit the castle in the near future, it is part of your kingdom in a way, but please tell me when you're coming. Loads of families are moving in and there are fledglings everywhere and they tend to get a bit frantic around strangers, one of them even bit me! _

_Tell all the knights I said hello and tell Gwaine especially that no, vampires do not drink alcohol. _

_Merlin._

The last part made the king chuckle, Gwaine would be so disappointed. Quickly he grabbed his ink and quill to write his reply for Aithusa to deliver. The full moon was only a week away.

_Dear Merlin,_

_The knights and I wouldn't miss your coming of age for the world. True the smell of blood might be a tad uncomfortable but the event sounds interesting. When I came of age we simply feasted and I was declared crown prince, then the following day there was a jousting match in my honor. _

_I'm sure you will do well as one of the three Lords but if you don't mind me asking, who's the third? Your father is the second, you're the first but I didn't even know there were more vampires. I thought Lancelot mentioned the Norther Vampires once though._

_I'll save any other news I have for when I see you next week for your coming of age. Good luck with the castle!_

_I'll see you at moon rise one week from today._

_Arthur. _

* * *

**The sequel has arrived! Coming up next, Merlin's coming of age ceremony which as you have probably guessed is a lot more magical and dark that a human coming of age. **

**To answer some questions I know are coming**

**Yes, Morgana will appear.**

**Yes, Will and Freya are characters but I wont mention how major or minor they are yet. **


	2. Chapter 2

What Merlin's coming of age ceremony would be like was a topic of hot debate as they rode out to the castle in the late afternoon.

"It's have something to do with blood, it is a vampire ceremony after all." Gwaine decided, "Blood has to be involved!"

"Blood is nothing but food to them Gwaine, it's not like it's a part of their personality." Percival chided.

"So? We feast at our coming of age parties. You should of seen it, I spent mine in the tavern naturally and there was this great roast pig..."

He was gone then, oblivious to the fact that everybody had stopped listening, you had to be good at that when you lived with Gwaine. Unless you are Merlin of course, who found all of his stories, especially the tavern ones, fascinating for some odd reason Arthur could not fathom. Finally the sun set and the great silhouette of the castle came into view.

"I never thought the Valley of Fallen Kings could get much creepier." Leon muttered.

Silently Arthur agreed, the large stone castle with it's dark grey bricks and heavily covered windows did look daunting. Well, more correctly it would have looked daunting did Arthur not know his closest friend and his people were inside.

"Arthur!"

"Lancelot!"

The thrall ran over to meet the company with a happy smile on his face. Lancelot had been Merlin's personal servant and friends for years now, he was the only person who knew more about the vampire than Arthur did.

"It's good to see you again." Arthur smiled as they tied the horses, "Where's Merlin."

"Preparing for the ceremony, he's pretty nervous. Then again they all are, I don't blame them."

"So what happens in this ceremony?" Arthur asked, the curiosity was practically burning him from the inside out but Lancelot just chuckled.

"You can wait and see." He teased, "Head to the Grand Hall, that's where the ceremony is taking place. I need to go make sure Merlin is ready."

-oOo-

Merlin looked at himself in the mirror. Tradition dictated all vampires wear black for their coming of age, so he had a black tunic and cape matched with a golden belt and cape ties. The ensemble made him look even paler and daunting, perhaps that was the point.

"Sire, Arthur and the knights have arrived, they are heading to the Grand Hall." Lancelot called as he entered the room, "Are you ready?"

"Yes." Merlin replied after a deep breath.

"You're sure you don't need anything else?" Lancelot prompted holding up his golden coronet.

"Oh, right." the vampire bit his lip nervously.

"Relax Merlin, you'll do just fine." Lancelot grinned as the prince slipped the golden ring over his head.

"Arthur told me they feasted and held a jousting match for his coming of age, couldn't vampires do the same thing?" He whinged.

He'd been feeling nervous all week, like all young vampire's he'd spent it preparing, practicing, studying for every possibility but he still felt as if his stomach was churning. He was both glad and worried about his human friends attending the celebration, what would they think of the practice? Even some vampires thought it slightly barbaric.

"Come on sire, they're ready for us."

No turning back now.

-oOo-

The Grand Hall lived up to it's name, the there was a ground floor with a balcony above it running around the entire area. The knights had been directed tot he balcony where what must have been over a hundred vampires were milling about. Most of them were looking down at the ground floor eagerly and whispering to themselves.

Normally a group of humans in the room would of earned them a look, but Arthur and his Round Table Knights were well known by this community, some thralls who were serving blood even bought them wine. Percival had made a face at first due to it being red wine, he'd thought they were being offered a cup of blood like all the rest.

"What's that?" Elyan asked, pointing down to the ground floor which was mainly empty.

Only one vampire stood there, Balinor, Merlin's father. He was standing by a large tall object covered by a white cloth and muttering as he drew a large circle around it using magic.

"Merlin's all ready, he'll be entering any moment now." Lancelot greeted them, joining them by the balcony and looking down.

"What's Balinor doing?" Arthur asked.

"When vampires come of age it's tradition that their announcer is their oldest male relative." Lancelot provided, "The ring is magical, once Merlin steps over it, he can't step out until Balinor removes the magic."

Arthur was about to ask more when a hush fell over the crowd and Merlin entered down on the lower floor. For a brief moment he caught the vampire's eye san gave him a reassuring smile, though he wasn't sure what he was reassuring him of.

"Are you ready?" Balinor asked seriously, Merlin nodded.

The king grabbed the sheet covering the object and tugged it away, leaving the circle as he did so. The prince took a deep breath and stepped over the red line.

The object, much to Arthur's surprise, looked like a mirror, except that for some reason, it was not showing Merlin's reflection, despite the fact he was standing only a few feet in front of it.

"Fear Glass." lancelot explained to the group in a hushed voice, "It doesn't show you an outward reflection but an inward one, this one has been enchanting to bring to life the thing Merlin is most afraid to face, so he can fight it, win and prove he is no longer a child."

"That's a vampire's coming of age ceremony?" Arthur gaped, "Fighting your worst fear?"

"It depends on the vampire, it has to be a fear with a physical form that one can combat. It can't be a fear of loosing a loved one or something alone those lines-oh look it's started!"

Indeed, the glass has begun to glow and hum slightly and the vampire began to whisper excitably. Merlin lengthen his claws and fangs ready to fight. The was an audible intake of breath when the figure stepped out of the mirror, Arthur felt his eyes widen.

Merlin was staring at a perfect replica of himself. Well, almost perfect. It was Merlin but with all his vampiric traits amplified, massive fangs, huge claws and pitch black eyes. The copy snarled and hissed like an animal,more specifically, a vampire struggling with Hunger Madness.

Merlin didn't look shocked like the crowd, he didn't even look scared. He looked determined. The doppelganger made the first move and soon the two were snarling and going at one another almost too fast to follow. If it weren't for the copy's huge fangs it would be impossible to tell which was the real Merlin.

For a few minutes it seemed as if Merlin was going to lose, the copy sunk it's fangs into his shoulder from behind and the new king yelped in pain and slashed it across the face.

"Yeah Merlin! Show him whose the man...I mean vampire!" Gwaine yelled.

Then Merlin grabbed the upper hand, tackling the creature into the invisible wall of the circle only to be pushed back. The copy raced toward the royal but in one smooth movement Merlin dodges and slashed his claws across it's throat. The doppelganger turned to white dust and vanished before it had even hit the floor.

The applause almost deafened the king but he didn't mind. Merlin grinned up at them. Balinor waved his hand and the ring disappeared as Merlin turned to face him. Then slowly he took the coronet from his head and threw it to his fathers feet. The other king then produced a heavier crown, much like Arthur had been given when he came of age, and placed it on his sons head.

Merlin turned and bowed to the crowed with a smile and they all cheered.

"That was the best coming of age ceremony I've ever seen!" Leon exclaimed, Arthur nodded in agreement.

"Come on, it's time for the celebration!"

* * *

**Originally i was going to call it Foe Glass but then I realized that was from Harry Potter :P **


	3. Chapter 3

"How are you expected to celebrate without alcohol?" Gwaine joked.

The group were all seated in the banquet hall laughing and joking as they watched the other vampires talk and dance. Even Balinor and Hunith were waltzing around the room grinning at one another.

"I don't understand it." Merlin laughed, "Why would you willingly drink something that lowers your inhibitions and co-ordination? What if somebody attacks you?"

"It's for fun." Arthur sighed with a chuckle, "It's just something humans do."

"Don't knock it till you've tried it." Lancelot added.

Once again Arthur was shocked by how different vampire society was to his own. The room was filled with vampires and their human servants but unlike the servants in Camelot they were not ignored. Both human and vampire both actively sought one anothers company and there were separate tables filled with food for any thrall who had been fed of recently to rest and snack at. Lancelot was standing at Merlin's side just behind his seat adding to the conversation as he pleased.

Despite the lack of alcohol and the liberal amount of blood it was actually quite an enjoyable party and Arthur found himself enjoying it. As the night wore on though he began to notice the smile wasn't quite reaching Merlin's eyes anymore. Eventually he saw the prince slip out the door unobserved by any others, they were all busy dancing.

Arthur followed and found him leaning against the stone railing on one of the small balconies looking melancholic.

"Hey, you alright?" He asked joining him, "It may be the fact that you just passed a massive test, or the giant party but I'm pretty sure you should be happy right now."

Merlin hummed and fiddled with the hem of his sleeve.

"Come on, what's wrong?" Arthur elbowed him lightly.

"I was just thinking...Morgana will of come of age tonight as well." Merlin answered quietly.

Over the time he'd known the vampire Merlin had only ever mentioned Morgana a handful of times. He knew she was his twin sister and that she had betrayed him and his family some how many years ago and disappeared. That however, was all. The subject was sensitive due to some old vampire superstition about twins, he'd tried to squeeze more out of Merlin before but it had never worked.

"Do you, miss her?" Arthur asked finally.

"In a way." Merlin sighed, "I miss the way she was when we were younger...I don't understand what happened to her. Lots of people put it down to the curse of the twins but, I don't know."

"What, did she do that was so terrible?" Arthur asked finally trying to be gentle.

Merlin glanced at him with golden flecked eyes.

"When I was younger I was...betrothed, to another vampire. We were very fond of one another and one night, Morgana killed her."

Arthur felt as if somebody had shoved a stone into his stomach.

"Morgana had started to become...different. She started raving about how humans were scum and stopped letting any of the thralls touch her. She believed only pure-blood vampires, ones with no human lineage at all, were proper vampires." Merlin explained, "Freya's grandfather had been a human and she hated that somebody with 'bad blood' was going to marry into our family..."

He was now gripping the stone railing with so much force Arthur was sure he could hear it cracking under the strain. The wind swirled menacingly, reacting like it always did when Merlin became emotional.

"She killed a lot of vampires our age with human lines, I won't forgive her for that."

Arthur opened his mouth to say something but found that he couldn't. What was he supposed to say to something like that? Usually Merlin was happy, funny and even child like. You'd never guess he'd seen so much death.

"I'm sorry." Arthur finally choked out.

"I didn't mean to say all that." Merlin admitted quietly, "It was years ago, almost a decade..."

That would of made Merlin and Morgana the equivalent of a fourteen or fifteen year old if Arthur did his maths properly. An adolescent killed all those people.

"Morgana and I are both very skilled with magic." Merlin spoke up, obviously guessing what was on the kings mind, "She was not easy to take down, even when they stopped her, she fled."

"I understand why you don't speak about her."

"I want to though, sometimes."

"I'm glad you trust me."

Merlin smiled.

"Me too."

-oOo-

_Merlin was running._

_He'd heard a scream in the courtyard of the castle all the way from his room, he recognized the voice. He burst out into the yard and here was Morgana, smiling at him wickedly with her fangs on full display. There was red dripping from her fingers and a body at her feet. _

_The body was small and twisted with long dark hair and red leaking from her throat. Dead._

_"Freya." He whispered completely in shock, "Wha-why? Morgana what have you done?"_

_"She didn't deserve to live." Morgana growled, "Filthy half breed."_

_There was more screaming after that, Morgana's as well as others. He recognized some of those yells, they were vampires he knew. He didn't go to their aid though he wasn't sure he could. He sat next to Freya's broken body and ran trembling fingers through her hair. It couldn't be true..._

_He had been with her only a few hours ago, he'd given her a new book for her collection. They were engaged! She couldn't die now! _

_Reluctantly he pulled his hand away from her long hair._

_His palm was slick with blood. _

Merlin screamed as he bolted awake, his magic flaring up as it often did when he panicked and instantly every candle int he room was alight. His fangs descended to quickly it was painful, he clutched at his aching mouth while simultaneously cursing his vampire instincts.

"Sire!" Lancelot called, his scream must of woken him from his own rooms adjacent.

"Merlin, what's wrong?"

"Sorry." He gasped trying to regulate his breathing, "It was only a nightmare..."

"You're sure?" Lancelot asked, "We both know how your magic can act up when you sleep."

"It wasn't a vision." Merlin growled, "It was about Morgana...and Freya."

Lancelot's face softened in sympathy.

"Sorry."

"It's fine."

It had been years since he'd had that nightmare, well memory was more correct but really it was both. Lancelot had only been a adolescent himself back then, he'd stayed with the traumatized prince all night. When he was younger Lancelot had dragged his blanket and pillow into his room and slept n the rug if he'd had a nightmare so he could put his mind at rest.

It didn't make much sense, a vampire feeling safe and protected in the presence of a human, but it had worked. Of course that was years ago, which is why he was very surprised when Lancelot disappeared and reappeared with his bedding. He flung it down on the thick fur rug like he used to years ago and then went about blowing out all the candles.

Merlin smiled softly.

Finally Lancelot curled up on the mat to sleep, neither of them spoke but then again they didn't have to.

* * *

**I wanted to show some Lancelot and Merlin friendship :)**


	4. Chapter 4

Arthur was glad he and his men had decided to stay an extra night, the vampires from the isle had just left leaving the castle in relative peace. It's own inhabitants were all now resting lazily about simply chatting or relaxing after the big event.

The Round Table Knights, their king, Lancelot and Merlin were all sitting up against the trees int he castle's centre enjoying the clear starry sky. Lancelot and Merlin took turns pointing out different constellations to the group as well as the stories that came with them.

Merlin was in the middle of telling such a story when a loud cry broke through the peace. It was Aithusa's roar and soon the large white dragon appeared over the edge of the castle and plummeted toward the ground almost taking out several trees as she did so.

"Aithusa!" Merlin exclaimed getting to his feet to calm the dragon.

It took several minutes of gentle words and ministrations until the dragon was approachable by any of the humans, by then she was nuzzling at Merlin sadly, whimpering.

"What's frightened you so much little one?" He asked gently, Arthur almost snorted at the use of the term 'little one'. Aithusa was twice Merlin's size!

"A village, all dead." The dragon answered, "Even the children, the bodies reek."

Arthur was about to ask why a village of dead bodies would scare such a huge and strong creature but stopped himself when he remember that for all her speed and strength, Aithusa was only a child.

"Where?" Merlin asked, "Its alright, I wont make you come with us."

The dragon mumbled something that sounded like 'north'. Arthur knew his lands well, there was a large village, maybe fifty or so people, to the north of the valley.

"That village is in Camelot, we should go and see if the dragon's claim is true." Arthur spoke seriously.

"I'll come as well." Merlin announced, "If it was sickness that wiped out that village it wont be safe for you to approach, but I can."

"Good idea." Leon nodded.

"I'll get the horses." Lancelot finished.

-oOo-

The group had ridden for an hour to reach the village, from where they stood at the top of a small hill it looked normal enough. In the quiet night the village was still but Merlin's keen senses could tell something was wrong, the entire place stank of bad blood.

"It looks peaceful enough." Arthur muttered.

"Going by how Merlin's nose is screwed up I'd say it doesn't _smell _fine." Gwaine noted taking in the vampires expression.

"Aithusa didn't lie, this place reeks." Merlin coughed, "I'll go in, you all wait just outside so I can call to you."

He then quickly dismounted and walked hurriedly into the village, immediately he saw the bodies and knew it wasn't sickness that had killed these people. For once the bodies were not strewn about the place but piled in neat stacks every few meters. Each body was pale, with wide staring eyes and two small wounds somewhere on the body.

This was the aftermath of a vampire hunt.

They did the same thing back at the castle with animal carcasses they'd fed on. But this wasn't the work of any vampires he knew, it simply couldn't be.

"Merlin! Are you alright in there?" Lancelot called.

"Yes." He replied feeling his voice crack nervously, what would Arthur and his men say when they saw this?

He heard Lancelot swear when he saw the bodies, making the same conclusion.

"What the hell...?" Elyan breathed.

"Vampires did this." Merlin replied cooly, "Not vampires from the Isle or my castle though, they would never."

"Northern Vampires." Arthur spoke up, "You've spoken about three groups of vampires before is passing. Three Lords, three groups. Lancelot once mentioned a group in the north."

Merlin bit his lip.

"The Northern Vampires are not known for being friendly, they were formed years ago by a group that believed vampires should rule over humans. They don't keep human thralls and kill for their food."

"That's why you think Morgana joined them?" Arthur added quietly, Merlin gave a curt nod.

"But they never stray from the icy north." Lancelot argued, "Why would they travel this far to kill an entire village?"

"I don't know." Merlin admitted and the group lapsed into an uneasy silence.

Finally Percival spoke up.

"Well, the least we can do is give these people a decent burial."

The others swiftly agrees and searched the houses for shovels with which to dig the graves. Slowly they began to burry the people, trying their best to try and figure out who was related to whom so that families could rest together. They were almost done when Merlin glanced movement out of the corner of one of his keen eyes. A cape disappearing behind a hut.

"Hey!" he called out chasing after the figure, "It's alright we didn't do this, we're trying to help."

He skidded to a stop around the corner coming face to face with a young man in thick furs. More correctly, a young vampire. He was very young, almost a fledgling, with dark hair and blue eyes very similar to Merlin's own. His fangs and claws were descended, both coated in a black substance, ready to fight.

Merlin did the same just as the rest of his human companions appeared around the corner. Arthur and the rest of them drew their swords, Merlin was thankful he'd insisted on making one for Lancelot.

"Why did you do this?" Merlin hissed, "Where are the rest of your hunting party."

The vampire studied him before grinning.

"You must be Merlin." He grinned, "Morgana said you'd be surrounded by their kind."

Merlin felt himself freeze.

"My names Mordred." The boy continued, "Sorry to disappoint but the others are long gone."

"What did they leave you behind?" Gwaine taunted.

"I wouldn't if I were you." Mordred growled, "Those swords aren't silver plated, you can't hurt me. I on the other hand, can hurt you."

He lunged and Merlin leapt to meet him, the two vampires crashed together in mid air and tumbled to the ground in a frenzy of scratches and bites. Merlin winced as the blackened nails scraped across his skin, they had been coated in some form of poison, of course it wouldn't hurt him, vampires weren't effected by poisons save for rosemary. He'd have to be careful though, he had no doubt it would be deadly to his human friends.

The vampire lord sunk his teeth into Mordred's forearm, causing him to hiss in pain and much to Merlin's surprise, force him off with a shockwave of magic. He'd not been expecting the abrupt attack and flew backwards into a barn, winding him momentarily.

He quickly got to his feet just in time to see a fireball flying towards him and with all his vampire speed he could not doge it. He cried out as the flames made contact with his chest, forcing him to the ground with a groan. Fire, one thing that could seriously harm a vampire. He was lucky this Mordred was not yet a master and that the flames had dissipated as soon as they had hit his body. That didn't take away from how painful it was though.

He forced himself off the ground, onto his hands and knees and saw the other vampire stalking toward him only to be blocked all of a sudden by a very human shape.

"What do you think you're going to do with that useless weapon?" Mordred scoffed.

"Try me." Lancelot growled.

"Lancelot don't-" Arthur started but was quickly flung backwards, along with his knights, by Mordred's spells.

"Arthur!" Merlin cried, getting to his feet and trying his best to ignore the burns.

"It's pathetic that you care for this filth." Mordred sneered as Merlin stepped in front of Lancelot to protect him.

"They are worth more than you ever will be." Merlin hissed, he could see Mordred's lips twitch into a twisted sort of smile when he saw the way Merlin winced as a result of the burns.

"We'll see, a war is coming you know and there is nothing you and these petty humans can do to stop it." Mordred growled as he lunged forward, five black nails out in front like tiny daggers that even Merlin's strong body would succumb to if impaled on.

Several things happened at once, Mordred came at them, Merlin felt a heavy push to the side and suddenly he was crashing onto the ground and Lancelot was standing there staring down at his torso where Mordred's claws were currently buried.

The vampire yanked the claws out with a spray of blood, Merlin watched horrified as Lancelot stumbled backwards and fell. The second his friend hit the dirt the world seemed to unfreeze for the vampire and he had lunged for Mordred, wanting nothing more than to rip his throat out only to have him dodge and then with a smile, disappear in a swirling black wind.

The murderous rage that had filled him for those few seconds drained swiftly and was just as quickly replaced with bone chilling fear as he turned back to where Lancelot was bleeding on the ground. Vaguely he could hear Arthur and his men running towards them but he blocked them out and quickly fell to his knees at Lancelot's side and placed his pale hands over the five deep wounds.

"You'll be fine, you'll be fine." He assured hurriedly, "Gestepe hole! Þurhhæle!"

No effect.

"Þurhhæle dolgbenn!" He tried desperately, calling to memory every healing spell he knew, "Wel cene hole!"

Still nothing, that black poison, it must of been immune to magic.

"No, no no no no, you can't die." Merlin whispered as he felt the blood continue to leak through his fingers, "What do I do? My magic wont work!"

Lancelot coughed weakly, "I don't think there is anything you can do..."

Merlin felt his hands being moved away by a larger pair and looked up to se Percival stopping the blood flow much better than he had been, that didn't stop the blood from coming though. As a vampire Merlin was never disgusted by blood in any form, most of the time it made him hungry, now it just made him feel sick.

"You're alright?" Lancelot muttered, "Those burns..."

"Shut up, I'm fine worry about yourself for a change!" Merlin snapped feeling his eyes burn.

"There must be something we can do." Arthur spoke hurriedly.

Lancelot shook his head slowly, his eyes were beginning to droop, much to his shame Merlin felt himself sob, digging his nails into the ground in frustration. Lancelot smiled sadly at him, weakly placing a hand on the vampires shoulder, which he immediately grabbed and held there with one of his own. He placed the other at Lancelot's neck, feeling the pulse get weaker and weaker.

"You can't die." Merlin whispered brokenly, "You're the best friend I've got."

"...that means a lot." Lancelot admitted tiredly.

"Hey! Stay awake..." Merlin begged gripping Lancelot's face lightly with both his hands, "Stay with us. Stay with me, please."

The man blinked up at the vampires face with a weak smile, once again no words were needed, Merlin understood exactly what he was saying.

_I'm sorry._

Then his eyes closed and Lancelot breathed no more.

* * *

**I warned you not everybody would live...**

**Also sorry but I had to upload this several times before it would actually work!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Two points of clarification. One, Lancelot died of blood loss, not the poison. The poison was immune to magic making it impossible for Merlin to heal the wounds. On it's own the poison would of taken a few hours to kill Lancelot.**

**Two, it is only direct sunlight that harms vampires, as long as the sun is behind the horizon, they can be out in the open no problem. As you know depending on location and season there can be a few hours int he evening and morning where the sun is not yet up but it is light. Vampires can be outside then but as soon as the sun rises properly the light is too strong. **

Merlin gave a quiet sob when Lancelot stopped breathing, pressing his forehead against the dead man's own for a few seconds before sitting back up on his hands and knees. Arthur desperately wanted to say something but he highly doubted that there was anything in the world that could be said to comfort the vampire now.

He was about to try when Merlin q his eyes closed and screamed, though screaming wasn't the proper word for it, it was part scream, part roar part wail. It was without a doubt the most heartbreaking sound he'd ever heard in his entire life, of course he didn't have much time to dwell on it as the minute the sound began a massive wave of frustrated magic burst out of the vampire and knocked him and his knights backwards.

He hit the ground hard and it took him several deep breathes to stop himself being winded, by which time the wind had picked up, much more strongly than usual, to the point where Merlin and Lancelot was in the eye of a small tornado.

"What's happening?" Leon yelled over the roar of the wind.

"It's his magic!" Arthur called, "I've seen this happen before when he's upset! But it's never been this bad!"

The wind continued to get stronger and stronger making approaching the source near impossible.

"Merlin!" Gwaine called, "Calm down! You've got to calm down!"

The wind picked up if anything, evidently Merlin was unable to hear them, or ignoring them completely.

"What do we do?" Elyan yelled over the rapidly growing sound of wind, "He'll blow this entire place to pieces!"

"And us!" Percival added.

Arthur thought quick, there had to be a way to get Merlin to calm some how. Usually they'd rely on Lancelot for this sort of thing, however that was no longer an option. Lacking anything better the king struggled to his feet, shielding his eyes from the dust and dirt with his forearm.

"Merlin!" He called, trying to get closer to the centre of the whirlwind, "Merlin, listen to me, you have to control yourself! It's alright to be upset but you need to control your magic before it causes more damage!"

Arthur felt the wind dissipate slightly, a good sign. Then with one final burst of wind the tornado disappeared all together almost instantly, Merlin had still not moved an inch, on his knees by Lancelot but he appeared to be breathing heavily. The knights glanced at one another, seemingly nervous to approach the vampire lest they set him off again.

Finally, he moved, slowly closing the thralls eyes and picking him up and silently carrying him over to the horses.

"We need to take him back to the castle." Merlin replied in monotone not meeting their eyes, "Vampires don't burry their dead."

Arthur had learnt a lot about vampire customs over the past few months as they began to openly mingle with Camelot's people. Apparently, vampire bodies did not decompose as humans did after death. The only way to be rid of the body was via burning, either with the sun for with fire. The most common tradition was to build a boat and set the dead afloat in it before setting it alight. The thralls must of adopted that tradition as he'd never seen any graves in or around the two vampire castles he'd visited.

When they arrived back at the castle in the valley Merlin was greeted by Aithusa who whimpered at the sight of Lancelot's body before flying back within the walls to inform the other residents.

"I am going to go and...cremate the body." merlin said finally, "You can stay here."

"Don't you want us to come with you?" Arthur offered.

"No."

-oOo-

Gently, Merlin laid out Lancelot's body in the small wooden boat he had created using trees nearby and his magic. Taking a deep breath he began to wash the blood off the wounds, leaving nothing but the five punctures in his stomach and shirt. Lancelot was just as pale as himself now.

"This isn't fair." Merlin whispered, "I always knew you'd die before me but not for many years yet. By vampire standards you're still a child."

Sighing Merlin looked to the sky, the stars were fading, the sun would be appearing within the hour.

"You'd be scolding me now, if you could." He continued, his voice cracking slight, "You'd be telling me it was risky to be out in the light, even if it can't hurt me yet."

Clenching his fists the vampire held back another sob.

"I'm...so sorry this happened to you." He breathed shakily, "I swear, the vampire and all of them, will pay for this. I avenge you, or die trying."

"You were my best friend. Know that."

Gently, he pushed the boat into the water, guiding it with light magic until it reached the centre.

"Forbernan." He whispered, eyes closed and turned away.

He couldn't bare to watch.

-oOo-

Arthur was beginning to grow worried, the men had gone to ready their horses and rest for a few hours before setting off for Camelot to deliver the news of the vampire attack. If what Mordred said was true, it would not be the last and Arthur wasn't going to leave his people defenseless. That wasn't what worried him however.

The sky was beginning to lighten, the sun would be appearing over the horizon within the next few minutes and Merlin had not yet returned. Finally the pale figure appeared, thankful not burnt but still looking ashen.

"Merlin I-"

"You should head back to your own castle." Merlin cut him off, not stopping, "I need to meet with my council, I will write to you soon."

And then he was gone.

Arthur blinked in shock for a few moment but in the end simply sighed. It was best to leave the vampire be, he had just lost his oldest and closest friend, he had every right to want to be alone.

* * *

**Merlin's scream, in my mind, was a mix between his scream in Diamond of the Day part 1 when he got stuck in the cave and Morgana's scream when she saw Morgause dead. **


	6. Chapter 6

As soon as he'd returned to Camelot Arthur gave the order for more guards to be sent to outer villages to warn them and for all weapons to be silver plated. It was a costly order no doubt, only half of the weapons they had could be dipped in the metal, leaving one in two of his men in danger from a vampire.

To make up for it people began lighting fire pots all over the city and hanging rosemary about their homes, not that simply hanging the herb would do any good but it was worth a shot. After three days it became apparent these precautions were not enough. People were flooding in, taking refuge in the large city bringing with them stories of horror. Neighboring villages completely wiped out, screams in the night and pale figures moving about between the trees.

There was some good news though much to his relief. Some villagers reported vampires fighting amongst one another, protecting villagers and giving them a chance to escape, all of them bearing the Pendragon crest. It didn't take much to realize Merlin and Balinor were dressing their warriors in the colour of Camelot so it was easy to distinguish which vampires were on which side.

That didn't stop the stream of news however, almost always bad. Camelot was slowly being slaughtered and they had to do something about it.

"Vampire's can't function in the day light." Arthur announced, "They must be hiding somewhere, getting to and from the north takes a week of travel, even for them, they must have a camp or something within the kingdom. We must find it."

However this line of inquiry turned up dry as well, all the caves were searched, every ruin and still no vampires. There were signs, that perhaps they had been there for a short while, but it wasn't the large base camp they needed.

What made it even worse is while it was quite common to see Merlin's warriors guiding civilians to the safety of Camelot's walls, Merlin himself never appeared. In fact, he never wrote either, it was as if he was avoiding Arthur and his knights all together.

-oOo-

It was a full week before Arthur was finally able to speak with another vampire, a short time frame that seemed to have dragged on, with all the killings going on. Usually he'd seen them escorting people to the edge of the city, however tonight they actually came into the citadel carrying wounded who were quickly seen to by Gaius.

"William,call me Will." The vampire smiled, "Sorry to intrude, but it was much easier to carry the injured ourselves than for their fellow villagers to do so."

"No, it's quite alright we've been wanting to talk to you for a while." Arthur replied, "There has been no word from Mer-Lord Merlin."

"He's been with the council planning and strategizing for days." Will replied, "We think we have nailed down their hiding place."

"You have?" Arthur gasped, "We've been trying to all week!"

"We believe Morgana and the other Norther Vampires have taken up residence in an abandoned castle by some cliffs at the sea. Castle Freyin?"

Of course! How could he have not considered that abandoned castle when they made their search! It was well guarded and even has several underground levels, a perfect temporary base for vampires.

"That castle can't be approached from the front." Arthur informed Will, "It will take a small group to infiltrate it from the lower levels, otherwise being spotted will be too easy."

"They will have archers within the shade of the castle walls during the day," Will added, "No doubt, I believe Lord Merlin is planning a similar attack on the castle."

"My knights and I-"

"Sorry sire." Will interrupted, "But the Lord has demanded you and your men stay out of this matter, work on defending your villages and let us handle them."

Then the vampire quickly turned and joined it's fellows while Arthur blinked in surprise. Merlin had the audacity to order him not to fight for his people?! Oh he was going to have to do something about that.

-oOo-

Merlin took a deep breath, enjoying the first fresh air he'd had in over a week. It had been hard to find some peace, his guards didn't like leaving him alone now. It was understandable, but annoying. He'd had to use his heavy daylight cloak to sneak out of the castle.

So much planning and so many battles, they had so many injured warriors, even a few dead. Lancelot wasn't the only on cremated at the lake lately. However Merlin was the only one there now.

He knew Arthur and the others were probably angry with him for ordering them to stay out of his way and for ignoring them but he couldn't help it.

"I wish you were here," Merlin addressed the lake, "You'd know what to do, some times I thought you'd make the better king."

"What do I do? Arthur will want to fight Morgana and the other vampires but...what if he and the others end up dead just like you?"

The vampire bit his lip nervously. In three days time he and a small group of warriors were sneaking into the castle to try and take it down from the inside, he hoped it would go well. The travel would be difficult but deep down he wondered if he was doing the right thing. Technically, Arthur was his king, so he shouldn't be ordering a siege on a castle in his land, even if it was abandoned until very recently.

"Come on Lancelot," Merlin begged, "You always said you'd look after me even after you were gone, so tell me what to do."

Of course no voice answered by mysteriously the wind gave a strong gust from the north and all of a sudden a very weak but instantly recognizable scent hit the vampire. Metal, silver, mead, vegetables, human...

Arthur and his knights! They were somewhere in the north, probably heading for the castle to try and take on the norther coven themselves! Idiots!

With a frustrated growl Merlin got to his feet and started running, they were a ways a head of him, no time to go back to the castle. It was night though, they would be sleeping, as long as he didn't slow, he'd be able to catch up to them by morning.

* * *

**Sorry this chapter took so long!**

**Also some people have been asking if this is going to be slash, sorry but no. I do write very close friendship though so if you wanna put on your slash goggles and pretend it is go for your life! But I'm not going to write it :)**

**Also people have been asking if Merlin is going to turn somebody. I'll be honest I never planned for it but I have planned a scene where he does for later on, whether or not I actually use it depends on how many people want it. **


	7. Chapter 7

"Are you sure we should be doing this?" Elyan asked, breaking the silence of their camp site.

"I am King, Elyan." Arthur replied stubbornly, "They are invading _my_ kingdom and killing _my _people, I have the right to stop them."

"I mean not telling Merlin what we're doing, this is his territory." Elyan replied.

"Merlin's territory ends after the lake and surrounding area, this is Camelot!" Arthur snapped.

"He means vampires, shouldn't we fight vampires with vampires?" Percival asked.

"Lord Merlin has decided to take this out of our hands, so I decided to put it back." Arthur growled.

The group was seated around a warm campfire in the dense forest not too far from the castle Friyen. It was risky, camping so close, they made sure to only have the fire going long enough to cook their meals and instead of one, two were on watch at all times. None of them had managed to sleep yet however, they all felt nervous.

Suddenly Arthur heard a twig snap and they were all on their feet, silver plated weapons at the ready. Another sound, leaves being pushed aside, for a second Arthur thought he saw a flash of pale skin. Arthur tightened his grip on his sword just as a figure appeared at the edge of the camp sight.

Arthur moved forward but the figure moved too quickly and dodged leaving Arthur to turn only to stop mid swing when he noticed the vampire was Merlin.

"How did you fi-"

"What on earth are you all thinking!?" Merlin hissed in a quiet voice, "Coming out here toward a castle full of vampires who would not hesitate to snap you neck!"

"How dare you forbid me from helping my own people!" Arthur countered feeling his temper come to a boil, "You've been avoiding and ignoring us all week like a child!"

"My people are protecting your villages as best we can and now we will take down my sister and her psychotic people!"

"I am king! I can choose to go and do whatever I please! You cannot forbid me from doing anything."

"You are only going to get yourselves killed!"

"I refused to sit and do nothing while my people are attacked by those monsters!"

Silence.

Hurt flashed across Merlin face for a few brief seconds and Arthur felt a large stone of ice form in his stomach. Oh God what he wouldn't do to be able to take those last few words back. Merlin became serious quickly but Arthur could tell the words had stung.

"A small group of vampires can hold their own against Morgana and her people, a small band of humans cannot."

"We have silver weapons." Percival spoke up.

"That will only go so far, they are stronger and faster than you!" Merlin spat, "Go back to Camelot, now!"

"Both of you be quiet before somebody hears you!" Gwaine hissed, effectively shutting everybody up.

"That's better." He continued, "Merlin, Princess here isn't going to change his mind and I'm inclined to agree with him so you can either come with us or go home, your choice."

The vampire grimaced for a few moments before turning away from them and beginning to walk. At first Arthur believed him to be leaving but then at the last second the vampire threw himself down on the ground by a tree.

-oOo-

Over the past year Arthur had often visited Merlin as the castle was being built and vice versa, the vampire even came hunting with his party occasionally. Each time the vampire had happily socialized with everybody but tonight he sat alone far from the humans, brooding.

"Perhaps he is still mourning Lancelot in some vampire fashion we are not aware of?" Gwaine suggested quietly.

"Perhaps he is just angry we didn't listen to him?" Percival argued.

"Have you all forgotten about vampire hearing?" Merlin called out over the area making the small tense. Indeed they had, that was embarrassing.

Deciding it was best for them all to get as much sleep as possible Arthur and Merlin took the first watch, from opposite ends of the camp site, while the others rested. The first hour was tense to say the least, neither friend was talking to the other. Then, finally with a sigh Arthur came and sat down opposite the vampire, who gave him a half hearted glare.

"I didn't mean what I said before," Arthur started, "I'm sorry."

"I know." Merlin breathed.

"It's just, I don't understand why you don't trust us." Arthur argued.

"It's not about not trusting you!" Merlin hissed before glancing sadly at the ground, "It's about not losing you."

Pause.

"Humans are fragile, I'd forgotten that until..."

"Until Lancelot." Arthur finished, "I know."

"If ay of you are killed I will never forgive myself." Merlin continued, "Please, go back to Camelot."

"Part of being king id defending your kingdom, I can't just sit back and wait." Arthur sighed, "Can't you understand that?"

"I can, I just-"

Merlin cut himself off quickly eyes shifting from side to side quickly, he'd heard something.

"What is-?"

"Ambush!" Merlin screamed suddenly, "All of you wake up!"

The vampire had barely finished the sentenced when pale figures dove from the darkness, taking their company completely by surprise. Arthur tried to get to his sword but they were too quick and soon he found himself pinned to the ground by a very nasty looking red headed vampire who snarled at him but thankfully, didn't bite him.

He managed to glance around, each of the knights had been subdued and was currently being forced into a pair of cuffs each, as was he. Merlin on the other hand was currently grappling with two other vampires twice his own size. The idiot was tackling them even when he managed to get free of their grip, instead of fleeing he was fighting.

"Run you fool!" Arthur yelled only to have his moth covered by the vampire who'd caught him.

Merlin ignored him but soon the two had him captured and pressed against a tree where they snapped on a pair of cuffs and forced him down with the rest of the group. Merlin's eyes flashed but nothing happened, magic proof cuffs. Arthur just thanked the gods they were not silver.

He looked to each of his men, all sharing a look of determination and confusion. Why weren't they being killed, was Merlin's presence keeping them alive?

"Well well well," A blonde woman spoke up coming to the front of the crowd, "If it isn't 'Lord' Merlin."

Merlin hissed at her, Arthur wondered if this blonde woman was Morgana. He knew from experience vampires looked nothing like their relations at all so it wasn't a huge leap.

"Who're your little friends?" She asked, "Pets? Thralls?"

"They are my friends." Merlin growled, "Let them go."

"Why should we?" She chuckled, "We could use the food."

Merlin looked like he was trying to lunge forward but was held back by his captor.

"Take them all back to the castle," The woman ordered, "Morgana will want to see her brother after all this time."

So this woman wasn't Morgana after all.

"And make sure to see that the humans are...comfortable."

* * *

**Sorry for being slow! I do have a favour to ask all you Merlin fans, I just finished a new tribute video to the show, showing how far all the characters have come and I'd love for you to all take a look and give me your thoughts via youtube comments :)**

**/watch?v=vcMHQke8oQQ**


	8. Chapter 8

They were lead back to the Castle Friyen just as they had expected, the castle was old and the stones were cracked in places from age but backed up against the cliffs it was still a formidable prison.

"Alright separate them." the blonde vampire ordered, "Take the humans to the dungeons, the vampire comes with us."

"You harm them it will be your head!" Merlin growled, pulling at his chains trying to get at the grinning vampire.

She raised an eyebrow at him with smirk and snapped her fingers, the vampire guards began to drag Arthur and the others away while Merlin was taken in the opposite direction. Merlin cursed the magic repressing cuffs silently as he was lead to what must have been a throne room once. It was shrouded in darkness thanks to heavy curtains but being a vampire Merlin had no problem seeing.

It had been years but he'd recognize his sister anywhere, the long dark hair fell in ringlets to her waist and her sparkling green eyes almost glowed in the dark much like his blue ones did. He was forced to his knees but, determined not to look weak, glared at Morgana with all his might.

"That will be all Morgause, I can handle him." Morgana dismissed the blonde and soon they were alone together.

"Merlin it's been too long." Morgana simpered in a fake voice.

"Not long enough." He growled.

"Still so bitter..." She sighed, circling him.

"You killed Freya." He continued, "We all grew up together, she had been your friend."

"Her blood was tainted, I should have seen that so much earlier." Morgana sneered.

"Human's are not below us!" Merlin bellowed.

"On the food chain they are, maybe I should try one of your little snacks?"

"They are not snacks." Merlin replied, standing up so he was eye level with her, "Leave Camelot and it's people alone. Now."

"Or what?"

"Or I'll stop you."

"From your chains?" She laughed, Merlin smirked.

Oh yes, his magic was useless at the moment, feverishly bubbling under his skin and unable to escape but he was still a vampire. His claws descended and even with the cuffs he managed a heavy blow to Morgana's face, splitting the skin in three thin smooth lines.

Did she really think he was helpless? Both of then had been trained in hand fighting since birth like all vampires. Even in cuffs he could hold his own.

However his is humor was short lived. Unlike he, Morgana's magic was not retrained and he soon found himself thrown backwards and pinned against the wall. He struggled but brute strength couldn't free him.

"Those nails are a problem." Morgana hissed, "I will need to do something about that."

-oOo-

Instead of dragging them down to the depth of the castle where the real dungeons would have been they were tossed into a room on the top floor that had been stripped of furniture. Bars had been placed across the small window and then the heavy wooden door slammed shut.

Gwaine, who was quite adept at picking locks spent a few minutes fiddling with it until he admitted he couldn't open it. They had been searched and separated from every asset the had, weapons, food, medical supplies, Gwaine had been quite upset when they took his dragon scale pendant from him.

"What do you think they're doing with Merlin?" Leon asked looking concerned.

"He'll be alright." Arthur replied trying to sound confident, "There must be a reason they took us alive, they wont kill him."

"What if they starve him like last time?" Elyan asked worriedly, "Do vampires do that to one another?"

Once again they all cursed themselves for not asking the right questions of Merlin when they had the chance. Arthur found himself wishing Lancelot were with them, he'd know all the answers. At least he wouldn't suffer now.

They had very little else to do but sit in the small, empty room and wait. Arthur worried about Merlin as the time passed, Lancelot's death had all but broken him, he was now recovering but he wasn't ready for more emotional or physical pain.

Finally the sound of a key entering the lock echoed through the still room the the door was opened by two vampires in hoods and veils, almost morning then. They threw Merlin inside, without his veil but lucky Arthur saw no burns.

They went to ask the vampire if he was hurt but before they got the chance he had backed himself into a corner and curled into a ball with his head on his knees and arms against his chest. Now he'd only know Merlin a little over a year but that was long enough for him to know that this position was vampire language for 'I'm hurt don't come near me'.

It took a few minutes but finally Merlin lifted his head, eyes slightly dull but nowhere near serious. Saving them the trouble of asking he slowly uncurled and revealed his very bloody hands, Elyan gagged, they'd pulled all his nails out.

"How-?"

"Magic." he hissed, "She ripped them out after I sliced her face with them."

"Will they grow back?" Leon asked.

"Oh yes, it will only take a day." Merlin replied airily, "It was a popular form of torture years ago to keep a vampire locked up and rip their nails out each morning."

"Will she do that to you?" Arthur asked, Merlin shrugged and began to lick at his fingers, making them all recoil slightly.

"Relax, vampire saliva is a good numbing agent, you've been told that before." Merlin sighed, avoiding the use of Lancelot's name. The vampire made a face.

"Vampire blood tastes foul."

-oOo-

The sun rose and Merlin made himself comfortable in the far corner of the room where the direct sunlight had no chance of hitting him. He seemed content to doze as the morning passed and his nails slowly regrew.

They other vampire must of been sleeping because there was no sign of them, throughout the day. When afternoon came Merlin awoke and began to lick at his fingers again, making all the human's anger levels rise.

"We'll run her through." Gwaine threatened, "Before she can get to any of us!"

But instead of looking relieved Merlin looked stricken at the idea.

"No, we can't kill her, we just need to make her leave." he implored, Arthur sighed, even after all he'd been through Merlin was still too soft hearted for his own good.

"Merlin, when the time comes we may have no choice." Arthur explained gently, "I don't like killing any more than you do but, it might be the only way to protect Camelot."

The vampire swallowed nervously.

"Yes, yes you're right..." He whispered, "If you do, I'd appreciate not being cremated with her, at least put us to rest separately."

What?

The vampire glanced about the room, taking in the confused stares.

"I'm cursed remember?" He prompted, "I'm a twin."

"That's just stupid vampire superstition." Arthur dismissed, "You're not cursed."

"Maybe you don't see it that way, but if one twin dies, they say the other does as well."

Silence.

"So, you're saying if we kill Morgana you will die as well?" Percival asked, looking ill.

Merlin nodded.

"Of course, if it's the only way to stop her I under-"

"We will find another way." Arthur stated before the other could finish, "Promise."

Merlin smiled at them but quickly turned serious, eyes narrowing at the wall.

"What is it?" Leon asked, glancing around for whatever was putting their friend on edge.

"Morgana." Merlin whispered, "She's on her way, I can hear voices through the door..."

The door began to open and all were quickly on their feet, a fair, dark haired witch stepped into the room, with her eyes blazing red. Arthur watched, horrified as all his comrades eyes mirrored the colour before falling closed and slumping onto the ground.

"What did you-"

"I simply put them to sleep." The vampire smiled, "It's easier to get one of you alone this way."

* * *

**Arthur is not going to a happy place...**

**Credit to TheMistyMountains for giving me the "if one twin dies the other does as well" idea!**


	9. Chapter 9

Arthur could do nothing as the man and Merlin thumped to the ground with their eyes rolled back into their skulls and he was dragged from the room by two of Morgana's vampires.

They marched him through the halls until they reached an old throne room, the sun had only just set and so the windows were open allowing him to see. One of his guards shoved him to his knees while the other wrenched his arm up. He'd expected them to pull it backwards, breaking the bone, as some sick form of torture but instead he felt two sets of fangs pierce his forearms. Luckily they stopped after less than a minute, Arthur thanked the Gods they were not very hungry.

"Normally you would ask." He grumbled, pulling his arm to his chest when they released it, Morgana scoffed.

"Do you ask a deer's permission before you shoot it?" She posed, "You're nothing but a walking meal to us. I do not see what my brother sees in you are your kind."

"Your brother is a better vampire than you." Arthur replied.

Morgana apparently found this highly amusing because she laughed for almost a full minute before continuing.

"Merlin hardly is a vampire! Always so cosy with his little thrall and trying to get other humans to like him, it's pathetic." She sneered, "Did you know he once filed his fangs off in an effort to be more human? I think that's when I realized what a weakling he was going to be."

Arthur narrowed his eyes.

"What do you want with me?" He asked finally.

"You are the king," morgana stated, "So I want to make a deal, war is so tiresome."

"What sort of deal?" The king asked suspiciously.

"You will hand over half our population, as well as my brother and we will leave you in peace."

Half the population of Camelot? that was hundreds, thousands of people! He couldn't forsake them all to such a fate. Neither could he hand over Merlin.

"It's a good deal really, with my organization and leadership my vampire will wipe you all out in no time. This is a chance at life."

"By slaughtering thousands." Arthur sneered, "We'll stop you."

"Oh will you now?"

-oOo-

Leon paced their small cell while the others fiddled with whatever they could, hair, clothing, leather ties. When they had awoken Arthur was gone and they had no idea how long it would be until they had news of him. They deduced by the light that they had only been out a few minutes but it seemed as if hours were stretching by.

Merlin stayed in his corner by the door looking nervous. At times he would lean to the side slightly or turn his head as if straining to hear something through the thick walls but so far he had nothing. Then all of a sudden he was on his feet looking thunderous.

"I heard Arthur yell, she's doing something to him!"

They all tensed and Merlin fidgeted before hardening his gaze, a look which most realized meant the vampire had made a decision.

"I'm going to try and use telepathy to contact my head warrior, Will." he informed them, "Telepathy is difficult magic, especially when I can't make eye contact with the person I'm trying to talk to, the distance isn't going to help either."

"It's going to take a lot of energy so don't be worried if I fall asleep or pass out, I'll be conscious again within the hour."

They all nodded and settled down to observe, over the time they had know Merlin they had realized that there were two different kinds of magic. The impressive, flashy kind that summoned fire and all manner of other elements to their aid. Then the less showy, but still very impressive sort, such as the inner eye for when you had lost your way or healing spells. This was clearly the latter as Merlin just seemed to be sitting there with his eyes closed with a look of intense focus on his face.

-oOo-

Merlin tried to visualize Will, it was difficult to make contact over distance. Telepathy worked by sending part of your mind, specifically to another place. When in close proximity to somebody it was easy, you knew exactly where your mind had to go. But when trying it over distance it got harder and harder, you had to try and find where the person you needed to speak to was and have enough strength to maintain the connection over the distance.

Finally he managed to break through.

_"Will, I can't keep this up for long so just listen to me. I'm at Castle Friyen with Arthur and his knights, we've been captured. I need you to bring the army here. If we take the castle and Morgana they will be leaderless and we can deal with them. Hurry."_

Will had no skill for magic so he'd have to trust him to follow through, seeings as he couldn't reply to the message. He settled himself to try and sleep off some of the exhaustion that had come with using the powerful magic, though he found it hard to do so knowing Morgana was most likely hurting Arthur somewhere in the castle.

Eventually though exhaustion won out and he slipped down into the world of dreams.

_He was young again, twenty seven years old, he was in the valley where Kilgharrah watched him each night. The large golden reptile was snoozing with one eye open to watch the young prince as he clambered up the rocks at the valley's edge. He could hear laughter on the other side of the ridge, the other children were playing there._

_Sighing sadly to himself the prince made himself comfortable on the rock and watched as human and vampire children entertained themselves. The thralls were chatting amongst themselves, playing tag and hide n seek, while most of the vampire teenagers and children his age were engaged in a game of hide and hunt. _

_"You look bored."_

_Merlin glanced down the ridge, a human boy half his age was standing there. With dark hair and a kind smile, he recognized him. He was the son of his father's thrall, no doubt this boy would be his own thrall in a few years time when he reached maturity. _

_"I'm Lancelot." the boy continued, "You're the prince right?"_

_"Yes."_

_"Why are you on your own all the time? I don't even see your sister with you much anymore."_

_"She likes to be alone." Merlin muttered._

_"But you don't." Lancelot surmised, "Why don't you come play with us?"_

_"They...wont play with me. I'm cursed."_

_"Well..." Lancelot said thoughtfully, "I don't believe in curses, so there."_

-oOo-

The slashes across his face stung, he'd not been expecting the blow and cried out in shock much to his humiliation. He'd managed to keep his mouth shut for the next few blows on his arms and chest though. Morgana was smart, he could tell, while the wounds were many, there was no risk of bleeding out but they all ached and stung terribly.

He didn't let it show, continuing to stare definitely at Morgana.

She didn't seem fazed, as if she didn't really expect him to break at a few scratches alone. Being bashed into a wall with magic was something else, leaving him winded and coughing terribly trying to force air back into his lungs.

"We can do this all night." She sighed, looking bored and flicking her fingers, sending him flying backwards until he smashed into the stone floor making the cuts scream in protest and years worth of dust and dirt filled them.

"You're going to get very bored then." Arthur spat.

Turns out, she didn't. Arthur had never been so thankful for the sun to rise as he was finally able to catch his breath after being tossed back and forth all night like a rag doll. The idea that Merlin could just as easily inflict such wounds frightened him slight, never had he been so thankful Merlin was kind hearted.

He was practically dragged back to the room that had been acting as their cell by two guards. His friends were at his side in seconds, helping him to sit up and taking in the injuries.

"here, let me heal them." Merlin offered gently, "I can't do much, but I can clean and close those cuts and lessen the pain from the bruises."

Arthur nodded stiffly and let the vampire work for a few minutes on the scratches to his face and chest. In the meantime two vampires arrived with a tray of bread and a few goblets of water. Not much between them all, but it was something. Arthur had almost forgotten the last time they had eaten.

He nibbled on the bread but it wasn't until he saw Gwaine drinking from the goblet that Arthur realized Merlin would be hungry also.

"Hey, stop for a minute." he asked, grabbing the now empty goblet and pressing it against one of the cuts on his arm much to Merlin's horror.

"Arthur, you don't have to-"

"Stop being so dramatic and take the damned cup." Arthur sighed with amusement, "You're eyes are going grey."

Merlin took the cup sheepishly and sipped at it.

"Thanks."

"You've got to eat as much as we do." Arthur shrugged, "Finish that and then you can finish your healing."

"Alright." Merlin relented, drinking with a little more haste.

"We'll get out of here, soon." Arthur added, "And we'll stop her."

"Will and my fighters are on their way, at least I hope they are." Merlin replied, "We just have to wait."

* * *

**I am really pumped for the next few chapters guys :P**


	10. Chapter 10

Once again they were left alone for the day, pacing and planning escape routes but lacking the means to escape their room. When night fell however, they waited for Morgana or another guard to come and take one of them to be tortured or interrogated but nobody showed.

As the moon began to rise Merlin perked up, ears tilted toward their barred window with interest.

"I can hear yelling..." he muttered, "Outside. Fighting too."

Now that he mentioned it so could Arthur. It was becoming louder and louder, coming from the courtyard of the castle, and according to Merlin, the tunnels beneath as well. Merlin's warriors and no doubt half of Balinor's, had come for them.

Merlin induced his inner eye, it was difficult to fade through walls but soon he could see it, there was an all out fight beginning in the courtyard.

"The cavalry has arrived!" he reported back to the room of friends he could no longer see and he searched through the crowd, "I don't see Morgana, her forces are loosing though."

"We need to get out there." Arthur growled, "We need to fight!"

"Hey! Let us out! We're in here! Hey!" Gwaine began to yell at he top of his lungs, banging on the heavy door every few words to try and alert somebody to their presence. Merlin went back to fiddle with his magic cuffs, of course they would not yield, just as they hadn't all the other times he had tried.

Finally there were muffled voices on the other side of the door and with a click of the lock it swung open to reveal Will and several other vampires all sporting a red Camelot crest on their tunics.

"Will!"

"Sire!"

The two vampires smiled at one another.

"Here, we've found your weapons a few rooms down," one of the others informed them, handing them all back their swords and knives, "Here, let me get those off, sire."

Merlin held out his hands and soon the cuffs were laying on the ground, Merlin flexed his muscles gratefully, no doubt relaxing as his magic was freed once more.

"We need to get going, the battle is fierce." Will continued, "They have more in numbers than we thought below the castle."

"Numbers don't win a battle." Percival pointed out.

"No, but I bet they help." Gwaine muttered.

"Come on!"

The group raced down the stairs, Arthur slicing his silver sword through at least four of Morgana's fighters before they'd even reached the courtyard which was in the midst of a full blow battle. It was not a pretty sight and finally Arthur began to see why Merlin had not wanted him and his knights to involve themselves int he conflict.

Vampires didn't fight with weapons, instead they were clawing at one another, using their teeth to rip out throats and stabbing their elongated nails into one another. It was a mess of blood and yells. Once in a while Arthur thought he glanced the occasional silver dagger but it was too much of a mess to understand, the ground was a mess of pale bodies and bright blood. If this went on my longer they were going to destroy themselves.

"We have to do something." Will muttered.

"Leave it to me." Merlin replied darkly.

Then he took a deep breath and let it out with an echoing yell that seemed to drown out even the loudest parts of the battle. A shockwave of blue energy flew out of Merlin's skin, passing harmlessly through all of his own fighters but blasting all of Morgana's warriors across the courtyard.

Perhaps a third of them got to their feet but by then Merlin's fighters were on them, retraining them and gathering them up before going to look at those who were yet to move and look for signs of life.

Merlin swayed on his feet slightly, Arthur quickly caught him and steadied him.

"Are you okay?"

"Fine, that spells just a tad difficult, got to know who you want hit and who you don't." Merlin replied, "Just got dizzy for a second there, I'm fine."

"I don't see Morgana." Elyan spoke up, "I don't think she's here..."

"We've got to find her!" Merlin exclaimed, "We can't let her get away."

He was right, now the the courtyard was under control it was time to start looking for the brains behind this entire operation. Arthur ran back up into the crumbling old castle with Merlin and his men not far behind, they searched the halls in turn but found nothing, the king began to despair, perhaps she was already gone.

"Arthur look out!"

He felt somebody grasp his collar and pull him to the side, Leon. Just as a ball of fire went soaring past where his head had been moments ago. They all turned to see Morgana standing by the open archway of the hall they were currently in, she was fuming with rage.

"Give up." Arthur ordered, "Your forces are gone, you have no choice. Give up."

"Oh what are you going to do to me? Kill me?" She teased with a manic laugh, "You can;t do that and you can't contain me!"

"Wanna bet?" Merlin glowered, holding up his magical suppressant cuffs. Arthur drew his sword, as did all his men and gave her a daring look. She glanced at them all with a look of fury, she knew she couldn't win.

With a scream of frustration she summoned water from the damp surrounding bricks and froze it into several very sharp shards of ice and flung them at the group only to have Merlin melt them before they could reach.

"It's over." Merlin told her in monotone, "All over."

"In that case." She muttered, but loud enough for them to hear, "I'm taking you down with me."

Suddenly she was summoning another icicle, long as a sword and the group tensed but instead of flying forward at them the sharp shard turned on Morgana herself and with a smirk she plunged the thing right into her own chest. There was a sickening crack of bone and a visceral spray of blood and then she was on the ground, instantly dead.

There was a sharp, choked intake of breath at his side and Arthur's eyes flew to Merlin. The vampire was wide eyed but his eyes weren't quite focused on anything. His lungs seemed to stop working, he gasped and choked but it seemed like very little air was actually making it into his chest. One hand fisted into the material of his shirt, just above the heart.

_If one twin dies so does the other, such is the curse of the twins. _

"Merlin!"

The king caught his friend as he took a few stumbling steps backwards and began to fall, lowering him to the ground, almost in a panic. The vampire was trembling and gasping for breath, Arthur wasn't even sure if Merlin could see him, he wasn't reacting.

The others ran forwards to check Morgana was really dead, leaving the king and his friend on their own, not that either of them noticed or cared.

"Hey, calm down, you'll be fine." Arthur insisted, "Just keep breathing okay?'

"C-can't." Merlin choked with a whimper, continuing to shake and struggle for air.

"Hey, you're the most powerful magic user I've ever met, if anybody can beat this curse it's you."

Arthur began to panic as he watched Merlin's pupils shrink to pin pricks in the sea of blue.

"Fight." He implored quietly, tightening his grip around his friend, "Come on, you can't die..."

Merlin stopped shaking and began to still, he wasn't breathing anymore...

"No!"

And with that the vampires eyes slipped closed.

-oOo-

It had all happened so quickly, there had been an awful tightening in his chest, as if his ribs had shrunk and constricted his insides. Suddenly he couldn't seem to breath, his heart couldn't beat and a terrible pain was spreading through his entire being.

He didn't quite register that he had fallen until he heard Arthur talking to him, telling him to fight, to survive this stupid curse but it was hard. It was as if he was suddenly consciously aware of everything his body needed to do to keep itself going, he had to make himself breathe and make his heart beat but he just didn't know how.

He was scared, terrified actually. He didn't want to die.

The black spots were dancing in his vision and the whole world seemed to fade away.

_'No...no I'm not going to die here...'_

_'I refuse...'_

* * *

**PLESE READ! I have the rest of this story planned out to the last detail so I know exactly how it is going to end. Will Merlin live? You will just have to wait and see... ;)**

**Yeah I stole that Numbers don't win a battle part from Narnia :P I just thought it would suit the situation. **


	11. Chapter 11

"Merlin? No! Merlin!" Arthur shook the vampire gently but he didn't stir, the others quickly gathered around looking somber.

"Merlin..." Arthur blinked back tears, placing a hand on the vampires cold face, then his neck.

Then, to his great surprise he noticed a weak pulse, it was irregular and barely there, but Merlin's heart was still beating. Quickly, almost not daring to hope he placed his palm just in front of Merlin's mouth and nose, he was still breathing!

"He's alive!" Arthur exclaimed, "Just barely, but he's still alive!"

"We need to get him back to the castle in the Valley of the Fallen Kings." Will announced, "We need vampire healers."

"I thought vampires healed with blood and rest." Gwaine argued as Arthur gently picked up his friend and began carrying him down to the courtyard.

"Yes but magic helps." Will replied, "I'll deal with things here, it might take a few nights. Take our Lord back to the castle and get the healers to save him."

They were going to have to ride hard and fast to get to the castle before dawn, the last thing merlin needed was burns, he was barely hanging on as it was.

-oOo-

Merlin felt as if he was floating under water, the air felt thick and moving was slow, yet he could still breathe and he didn't feel wet. He was so tired, he couldn't even open his eyes, but his instincts told him to swim upwards, toward where the surface of this strange body of water must be.

With as much strength as he could he flickered his eyes open.

He was right, he was floating in a huge, endless expanse of grey. Above him there was a light, sort of shimmering and shifting like sunlight on the lake by his castle, but below him was nothing but dark emptiness.

He raised his arms slowly as if to swim upwards towards the brightness but a voice called out to stop him.

"Merlin don't!"

"Lancelot?"

Merlin felt his eyes widen and a hand lay itself gently on his shoulder to turn him. It _was_ Lancelot, here, floating in this strange place just in front of him. Without even thinking Merlin embraced him, feeling his eyes burn. He'd missed him so much...

"Where are we?" Merlin asked after a few minutes, finally releasing him, "Am I dead?"

"No." Lancelot replied seriously, "But you will be if you stay here too long."

"Where is...here?"

"The in between." Lancelot replied, "Down there, is the solid world, up there is Avalon."

The former thrall indicated to the shimmering above them and the dark swirls below. Merlin gaped, the world of the dead was only a few movements away, if he wanted to, he could kick upwards and be with his ancestors, and Lancelot of course. He looked back down at the dark for boarding place below him that lead to the land of the living, he didn't want to die, he had to go back.

"You're still needed down there, but...you have the choice." Lancelot told him in a whisper, "Swimming back down there will not be easy and it gets harder the closer you get, but you don't have to."

Merlin reached upwards, Lancelot was right, it was easier to move his arm the higher it got, he could wave it at normal speed. Unlike his legs, who only a small way down were moving slowly as if he were treading water. The deeper he got the harder it would be to move.

"What do you think I should do?" He whispered finally, as much as he wanted to live, he was tired and staying here with Lancelot was so tempting.

"I think that Arthur and the others need you." Lancelot replied, "I never got this choice, but if I had, I would of gone back to you and everybody else."

The vampire sighed, he was right.

"I'll miss you, I _do _miss you."

"I know, I've been watching."

Merlin smiled and grasped Lancelot's arm at the elbow while the other man did the same for him.

"Good luck."

And then he was gone, faded away and joining the light above him. Merlin took a deep breath and then with a look of determination, began to swim down.

-oOo-

In hind sight, Arthur couldn't remember the ride back to the Valley of the Fallen Kings, it was all a blur of panic. When they had arrived healers had appeared almost instantly, taking their lord from them and hurrying him inside just in time as the sun rose. They had been banned from entering his room, leaving Arthur and the knights no choice but the pace the hall outside. Each time a healer or thralls appeared they looked at them for information but they came and went without a word. Thralls would come baring various herbs and jars and Arthur wished he knew what they were doing in there. All he could hear, even with his ear pressed to the door, was muffled words and various spells that he could barely make out, let alone understand.

"Bloody hell! Can't they tell us anything?" Gwaine complained with frustration, kicking the wall hard enough to warrant several more swears.

"Calm down." Percival tried, "Panicking and getting angry isn't going to help Merlin."

"Well neither is standing around out here." Gwaine bit back.

Normally Arthur would have told them to shut up but he was too busy being worried. Some how Merlin had become his closest friend, he was praying with any God who would listen to allow him to defy all odds and live.

-oOo-

Merlin was exhausted, the air was so thick it was hard to move at all but every time he stilled for too long he began to float back upwards. He had come pretty far down, he couldn't even see the light anymore, everything was black. He couldn't even tell if he was moving int he right direction anymore, part of him was too exhausted to care.

_'If I could just rest for minute...close my eyes and get my strength back...'_

He had almost lost the battle when he sensed something, he couldn't explain it, not even to himself but there was something, some one. Down here in the darkness with him. He could feel it.

He kept moving through the thick haze.

He felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up, somebody was watching him. But who could be down here with him? It wasn't Lancelot, he was sure of that.

-oOo-

Finally, the healers allowed them to come in, Merlin was settled in his bed under the sheets looking more gaunt and pale than he should. And that was saying something considering he was a vampire.

There was no physical mark on him but his breathe was slow and shallow and dark smudges were under his eyes. He looked exhausted.

"We've done what we can." The healers said somberly, "It's a miracle he's lasted this long, twins are connected on a spiritual level, one dying is like having half your soul ripped out."

"Hence the so called curse." Arthur muttered.

"It's up to his own strength now, there is only so much spells and poultices can do."

Without a word the knights took up posts around the vampire's bed. Leona and Percival by the door, Elyan at the table, Gwaine sitting on the floor leaning back against the bed and Arthur sitting on the mattress watching the lord struggle for life.

They must of looked something strange, several humans standing guard over a sick vampire. But guard him they would.

-oOo-

He was close, he could tell, he could hear voices, muffled and faded but they were there, just a little further and he would live. He was sure of it. Bu the presence was still here, it was getting closer and closer, fighting it's way through the black emptiness trying to get to him.

He was so close...

_"You're not leaving here without me!"_

That voice, it was impossible!

He kept moving, just a little further...

He felt a spark shoot through him, a heart beat! He could feel his body sinking down fast now, toward his body, but the presence followed him, like a second shadow.

_"I will not be forced away!"_

Merlin broke free just as the shadow engulfed him.

* * *

**Yes I know the 'shadow' is obvious but just let me get going :P Ive got some pretty cool chapters planned for the next parts. **


	12. Chapter 12

Hey guys, sorry about this. I was almost done with the new chapter when my computer crashed and lost it. So it's going to be a bit of a wait for me to get it re-written I'm afraid. Im really busy but I promise I will update as soon as I can.


	13. Chapter 13

Merlin shot upright so quickly Arthur barely had time to register, the vampire gripped at his head and squeezed his eyes closed and the king was immediately worried he was in pain. However when he laid a comforting hand on his friends shoulder he was shocked to have it batted away roughly.

He was about to ask if Merlin was okay when a loud thumping sound echoed through the room. It seemed Aithusa sensed her master was awake and was now tapping against the heavy stones and curtain covered windows, begging to be let in. Since the windows were covered she began to whine and mew for attention, even though she couldn't fit inside if they let her.

"Somebody shut that damned dragon up!" Merlin demanded much to their universal shock.

Merlin had always called Aithusa by her name or occasionally referred to her as 'little one'. He'd never called her, 'that damned dragon' before.

"Merlin, are you alright?" Gwaine ventured, Merlin nodded his head hurriedly.

"I'm fine. Now get out." He demanded.

"What?" Percival blinked.

"Out! Out of here right now! My head is throbbing and I want to sleep so get out!"

They all shared a look, the healers had told them losing a twin was like having part of your soul ripped out for vampires. Even though they despised one another, surviving Morgana's death was clearly effecting their friend.

"Alright but we should at least get the healers." Arthur offered.

"I don't _want _the healers what I want is for you all to get out of my chambers this instant!"

The group didn't waste any time, quickly filing out the door, only Arthur looked back at Merlin, still hunched over with his eyes tightly shut. He desperately wishes he could help and though he'd never say out loud, part of him was scared. Despite his vampiric qualities Merlin had always been a gentle and kind soul, he hardly ever raised his voice and when he did it was only with good reason. To see him this way was worrying to say the least.

Part of him wondered if perhaps now he'd taken on some of Morgana's cold personality as a side effect of surviving her death. He desperately hoped his fears were unfounded and wrong.

-oOo-

As soon as he was sure Arthur and the other men were gone Merlin leapt out of his bed and ran to his polished mirror to take in his reflection. To his relief, he still looked like himself, but he wasn't himself he could tell.

_'Really thought you could get rid of me that easily?' _the voice of Morgana echoed in his mind.

He watched as bright emerald green began to quickly extend from his pupil until there was no blue left. As it did he felt his own presence being pulled backwards until he could no longer feel his own body, he could only look through his eyes like a window.

"Well, this is certainly different." He heard himself say as Morgana examined his hands and reflection in the mirror, "It's not great but it's better than death."

_'Give me my body back!' _he demanded, surging his mind back to the forefront and green was replaced with blue once more.

"This is my body and you wont be sharing it for very long." He sneered, "I'll find some way to dispel you and then you will be right back where you started in the darkness."

_'You can't fight me off forever.' _She chuckled darkly, _'You seem a little short tempered, taking on some of my traits already are we?'_

Merlin didn't respond, just hissed in frustration.

What was he going to do? How could he tell the others what had happened? Everything he knew, Morgana knew, she was inside his mind! She could see all his thoughts and memories, even now she was sifting through them he could feel it. What if she gained control and made him hurt people?

Suddenly he realized something that made his blood run cold.

What if she took over while he was feeding and killed somebody?

_'I can just imagine Arthur's face if he saw you kill...' _Morgana mused, _'Imagine if I mad you kill him...that would be fun.'_

Merlin didn't encourage her with a reply, he instead walked over to his personal book collection and grabbed several magic volumes. There had to be something within their pages that could help him.

-oOo-

They had spent much of the day relaxing and healing from their ordeal at the castle Friyen. The thralls were happy to feed them and some of their physicians treated the last of Arthur's bruises from his time with Morgana. As the sun set Will and the rest of the attack force began to appear, each with a small group of Morgana's vampires which were lead down into their dungeons.

Arthur didn't ask their fate. He was sure it was best he didn't know.

Finally the moon and stars began to appear and the king decided to check on Merlin, only to find his chambers empty. There was an empty goblet on the table though, so at least he'd fed. However Arthur found it odd Merlin was drinking from a goblet when he was safely at home instead of asking a thrall. Perhaps he was still feeling Lancelot's loss.

After almost an hour of searching he could still find no trace of his friend, he tried getting Aithusa to help by flying above but she was sulking. Apparently she was not used to being scolded so harshly by her master and refused to uncurl herself and was currently located in the middle of the castle garden.

"Perhaps the lake?" Arthur muttered to himself, walking the path outside the stone walls down towards the body of water.

He breathed a sigh of relief when he spotted his friends pale form down by the water. He opened his mouth to call out but Merlin cut him off.

"I wish to be alone."

"I just-"

"I don't care." The vampire continued coldly, not looking at Arthur and focusing instead on the water.

"Merlin, what's wrong?" Arthur tried, "You've not been the same since you woke up. The healers said that a twin's death was harsh but you can tell me what's going on."

A small pebble floated up next to where the vampire was sitting and instantly crushed itself into dust. Arthur could almost physically feel the irritation flowing out of his friend.

"I can't help if you don't tell me what's wrong."

"I do not want your help, nor do I need it." Merlin snapped, turning to glare at Arthur.

The glare was cold, empty and more than anything angry. This wasn't right.

"Merlin what's wrong with you?" Arthur asked softly.

For a moment the vampire looked sad, as if he were very tempted to say something but then a flash of fear appeared and the cold look returned. Arthur glanced around for what could of caused the quick succession of emotions found found nothing.

"Nothing is wrong with me." Merlin muttered before pushing past the king and heading back to the castle.

Arthur watched him go feeling helpless.

He was beginning to suspect his friend was going mad.

* * *

**sorry this took so long but I had to write it twice!**

.


	14. Chapter 14

Merlin jerked awake as the thunder rolled across the night sky.

He was so tired.

With the threat or Morgana taking over his body the moment he stopped to rest Merlin had been unable to find sleep for too long before realizing Morgana already had him on his feet and ready to murder.

"Why are you doing this?" He asked.

_'Because you ruined my life, now I want to ruin yours.' _Morgana hissed, _'And the best way to do that is to kill that good for nothing king.'_

Merlin wasn't sure how much longer he could take this, he was exhausted. Morgana was taking over his body with more ease every time she broke through and it was getting harder and harder to force himself back into control.

He'd considered locking himself in a cage or dungeon where it would be safe for his friends but since Morgana saw everything he did through his own eyes she'd know the counter spells needed to get out.

Once again he'd become lax and he felt himself pushed back into the recesses of his mind as Morgana took over, running for the door ready to fling it open and hunt. He forced himself bak in control but the effort left him panting.

He flung himself back down at his desk where his books were sitting. He'd been pawing over them for hours now, it'd been at least a day since he'd left his quarters at all. None of his magic books had anything in them and that was saying something. He'd spent most of a his childhood having his magical gifts honed and trained. He was beginning to worry there really was no way to rid his mind of the filth that was his sister.

The closest thing he'd found was demonic possession.

_'That's a tad harsh'_

"It's really not." He muttered, reading the words in the book so old he was afraid it might crumble.

"When a single body is being possessed by more than one soul the only way to rid the body of the additional soul by means of pure energy." Merlin muttered aloud, it didn't matter if Morgana could hear him seeings as she could see everything he could.

"Unfortunately pure energy only comes in very raw, powerful forms and often does major damage to the body and there is no way to guarantee which soul will be ripped from it."

_'Well that sounds like it'll work.'_

"Shut up."

Merlin didn't know much about pure energy, and that was saying something as there was very little magic related theory he was not knowledgable about. The only forms of pure energy he knew of were lightning and fire and he wasn't too keen on walking into a fire pit or wandering around in tonights storm. Then again, he didn't have much choice. At least with lightning he would survive, well either he or Morgana would, he prayed it was he who did. She killed herself after all what right did she have to cling to him like some leech.

_'You really want to leave the room and go out there into a thunderstorm on the off chance you might be rid of me?'_ Morgana posed, _'We might run into Arthur on the way.'_

Ah yes. Arthur.

While the rest of the knights had returned to Camelot, Arthur had remained in the castle in order to keep an eye on Merlin. This was the last thing the vampire had wanted. Every time the king appeared he could feel Morgana scratching his mind inside out trying to gain control and drain him dry in some cruel act of revenge. The last time Arthur had cornered him in the library she almost succeeded.

He had begun to feel lightheaded and weak as numbness began to set in in his extremities, signaling Morgana taking control. Lacking any better ideas he'd yelled at his friend once more, telling him to leave him in peace and ran all the way back to his chambers and locked himself in.

Arthur had come by and thumped his fist against the door several times since then; each time Morgana did her best to take control. The last time she'd even managed to reach the door and begin to twist the key in the lock.

Sighing, Merlin got to his feet. He had to risk the thunderstorm, it was the only way and who knew when the next one would arrive. Of course, he'd have to find a nice open area to attract the lightning to him. The actual chances of being struck by lightning, even in the midst of a storm, were rare.

'You can't be serious!' Morgana screeched.

"Be quiet." He snapped, wishing he didn't have to speak to her aloud. No wonder people were looking at him like he was mad.

Swiftly he unlocked the door and quickly made his way down the steps toward the ground floor. Every thrall and vampire he passed knew better than to say anything to him, he was grateful. He had just made it to the candle lit enterance hall, meer steps away from the main door when a voice called out.

"Merlin? Where are you going? It's thundering out there!"

Damn.

"Arthur." Merlin greeted stiffly, half focused on keeping Morgana at bay and half concerned for his friend.

The king jogged up to his side wearing the same look of concern he had been since the vampire awoke. He could hear Morgana cackling gleefully in his head.

"You're not going out in that storm are you?" Arthur questioned, "You could get hurt."

"It's no business of yours where I go." Merlin ground out, his legs and arms were beginning to numb, he had to get out of here. Morgana was taking control and this time he couldn't keep her back.

-oOo-

Arthur had tried everything to get through to Merlin but whenever he managed to get the vampire alone he'd snap and push the king away, in every sense of the word. Now he'd caught him trying to sneak off into a thunderstorm!

"It is my business." Arthru replied, "You're my friend."

Merlin clenched his teeth but didn't reply, it was then the king noticed he was trembling slightly. He opened his mouth to ask what was wrong when something behind them caught his eyes and instead what came out was:

"Merlin, why do you have two shadows?"

The vampire eyes widened and glanced behind him to where the shows were dancing across the wall in the candle light.

Arthur's was alone, as it should be, but Merlin's was split, one looked normal, the other looked, feminine?

"Well, that's interesting." Merlin mused.

Arthur stiffened, the vampires voice had changed. It was still undeniably Merlin's voice but it sounded, wrong. Like somebody trying to imitate him and getting it almost perfect but not quite. Merlin turned back to him with a sly smile that made Arthur take a nervous step backwards.

"We hadn't noticed that." He continued.

We?

"You're eyes." Arthur gasped, "They're green."

* * *

**Sorry this is taking so long to update, I've been flat out with study and assignments. **


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